Process and apparatus for making oil gas



Dec. 30, 1924. 1,520,804

c. R. BURKE ET AL PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING OIL GAS ,Fild Sept.16. 1922 844/0034 ms 6%077Zw 3,2350%6, 7 /zoi/m [Ff/2 72226 PatentedDe'c, 30, 1924..

arm); STA-E ATENT orica.

CHARLES R. BURKE, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA, AND THOMAS F. HINTZE, OFARROWCHAR, NEW YORK; SAID BURKE ASSIGNOR OF HIS RIGHT TO LOUISE P.BURKE, OF TULSA,

OKLAHOMA.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING OIL GAS.

Application filed September 16, 1922. Serial No. 588,686.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that CHARLES R. BURKE and THOMAS F. Hm'rzn, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Tulsa, in the county of 5 Tulsa and State ofOklahoma, and at Arrowchar, county of Kings, Staten Island, New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes andApparatus for Making Oil Gas; and they do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

This invention relates to improvements in the methods of producing a lowboiling point hydrocarbon product such'as gasoline,

naphtha or -benzol, and a gas for heating or illuminating purposes fromhigh boiling 29 point hydrocarbons, and is in the nature of animprovement on the subject matter disclosed in the patent granted to C.R. Burke on September 6, 1921, No. 1,389,934.

1 The invention also includes the apparatus designed for, carrying outthe process. I

The primary object of the invention is to greatly increase theproduction of gas, while producing the low boiling point hydrocarbonproducts, the process for producing both being practically continuous.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for carefullyregulating the operation in order that the production of the low boilingpoint product and gas may be produced as desired by the operator.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view,which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists inthe novel features and steps hereinafter described in detail inconnection with the accompanyingdrawing, and more particularly pointed.out in the appended claims.

The drawing is a diagrammatic view of 4 one form of a complete apparatusfor carrypump 7 has an outlet pipe 10provided with designates asuitable.

a pulsator 11. The pipe ,10 terminates ina header 12 forming part of asuitable converter, retort or still 13. The header 12 is provided withvalved extensions or branches 14 connected to the pipes 15 of the still,and the lower ends of these pipes are connected .to vertical conduits 16that communicate with an upper header 17 and a lower tank 18. The pipes15 extend through a suitable heating apparatus 19 in which a temperatureis preferably maintained suflicient to crack or convert the oil passingthrough said pipes.

It is sometimes desirable to introduce the contracted or restrictedlower end 25 of a holder 26, which forms an important element of the.apparatus disclosed in the Burke patent mentioned above. This holder ispreferably capable of holding one hundred per cent or more of the amountcharged to the converter or still 13 in twenty-four.

hours, and as set forth in said patent, a large amount of the vaporrising from the still condenses in this holder and forms'a strata orcushion of condensate through which other vapors from the still mustpass in order to be discharged from the holder. The lighter vapors fromsaid holder pass off by way of the pipe 27 to a condenser 28, and thecondensate fro-m this condenser en'- ters a trap 29 having an outletpipe 30 which conducts the condensate to a storage tank 31. The gaswhich passes through the condenser 28 enters a pipe 32, which conveysthe same to an accumulator tank 33, referred to hereinafter. A pipe 34extends from the trap 29 to a skimming tank 35.

It is desirable at suitable times to remove heavier condensate from theholder 26, in

order to utilize said condensate for the production of a fixed gas.

To permit this withdrawal of the condensate, the contracted neck 25 ofthe holder'isprovided with an outlet pipe 36 leading to the pumpingchamher of the pump 6. This pump chamber has an outlet pipe 37 leadingto a header 38 forming part of a second converter 39. The header 38 isprovided with valved extensions 40 connected to-the upper ends ofconverter tubes 41 having enlarged lower portions 42, which areconnected to conduits 43. These conduits have their lower ends connectedto 'a sludge tank 44 and their upper ends connected to a header 45communicating with. a gas outlet pipe 46. I It is also preferred to feedwater into the pipes 41 simultaneously with the introduction of thecondensate from the holder 26. and to permit this the pump 8 has'a waterconveying pipe 47 extending to a superheater coil 48, which has anoutlet pipe 49 connected to the upper ends of the tubes 41.

- The second converter 39 has a heating apparatus 50, in which the heatis maintained at a degree sufliciently high to convert the oil or oiland steam in the tubes 41 to a fixed gas, and as before stated, this gaspasses oil by way of the pipe 46 to a condenser 51 having an outlet trap52. A pipe 53 conveys the gas and any condensate which has not beengasified to the accumulatortank 33. The

condensate from this tank flows through the pipe 54 to receivers 55. Thetrap' 52 also has an outlet pipe 56 extending to the skimming tank 35. v

The fixed gas passes from the accumulator tank 33 through a pipe 57provided with an exhauster 58, and this pipe extends to a scrubber 59having a pipe 60 leading to a gas holder 61, in which the fixed gas maybe stored.

It will be noted from the drawing that the various pipes, tubes,conduits, etc, are provided with suitable valves to permit the properregulation of the apparatus.

' Attention is also called to the fact that the heat applied to theconverter 13 is lower than that applied to the converter 39, thetemperature in'the former being maintained, after preliminaryoperations, at from 700 F., to 900 F, and the temperature in theconverter 39, after preliminary operations, being maintained at from1,000 F. to 1,500 E, or at a higher temperature as may be required. 1

The converter 13 acts mainly for the purpose of converting the higherboiling point hydrocarbons to gasoline, naphtha or benzol for instance,while the converter 39 changes the heavier hydrocarbon vapors deliveredfrom the holder 26 into the fixed gas for heating and illuminatingpurposes.

It will be understood that the condensate from the holderlmaybepermitted to return to the converter '13 or be passed into the pipe 36,by simply regulating the proper valves.

It is also to be noted that the enlarged portions 42 of the convertertubes 41 are located in What may be termed the heat Z0116,

wherein the vapors are particularly converted into the desiredilluminating gas or heating gas. These enlargements 42 form expansionchambers in which the oil vapors, capable of becoming converted into afixed gas at the temperature employed, may be said to automaticallybecome such a gas due itsexpansion in the zone of highest temperature.

When the oil introduced into the converter 1 3 is mixed with superheatedwater, we have practically an emulsion of oil and water, and thenadvantage may be taken of the expanding action of the superheated waterinto steam to aid in the prevention of the accumulation of carbon, andthe water alio acts as a vehicle for the transit of the o1 The tanks 18and 44 function as carbon, coke or sludge receptacles and they areprovided with outlet pipes 62 to permit the said substances to be drawnoff when required.

In practicing the process, we havefor example, subjected mid-continentalresidual to decomposition above 700 F. in converter 13 and we thusproduced;

7.0'per cent gas.

21.0 per cent gasoline.

, 56.0 per cent distillate.

16.0 per cent fuel oil and waste.

We then passed the distillate (56%) to converter 39 and produced;

55.0 per cent gas. 30.0 per cent distillate. 15.0 per cent' fuel oil.

Therefore, a complete summary of the full cycle was as follows;

37.8 per cent gas.

21.0 per cent gasoline.

24.4 per cent gas oil.

16.8 per centfuel oil and waste.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction, operation andadvantages of the apparatus, and the steps and advantages of the methodmay be clearly understood by those skilled in the art, and it isapparent that various changes may be made in the apparatus and methodwithout departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in theclaims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A method ofproducing a relatively large percentage of fixed gas and a relativelysmall percentage of low boiling point by-products from high boilingpoint hydrocarbons consisting in subjecting high boiling pointhydrocarbons to a temperature sufficient to crack at least a portion ofthe same, separating the lighter vapors from the heavier condensate,condensing the light vapors to form a light distillate or low boilingpoint by-product, and directly subjecting the heavier condensate withoutsubstantial loss of heat at substantially atmospheric pressure to a heatsuflicient to decompose said heavier condensate and convert the majorportion only of the same into a fixed gas and a substantial minorportion into fuel oil.

2. A method of producing a relatively large percentage of fixed gas anda relatively small percentage of low boiling point byproducts from highboiling point hydrocarbons, consisting in subjecting high boiling pointhydrocarbons to a temperature suf-j ficient to crack at least a portionof the same, separating the lighter vapors from the heavier condensate,condensing the light vapors to form a light distillate or low boilingpoint by-product, mixing the heavier condensate with aqueous fluid, anddirectly subjecting said mixture without substantial loss of heat atsubstantially atmospheric pressure to a heat suflicient to decomposesaid heavier condensate and convert the major portion only of the sameinto a fixed gas arid a substantial minor portion into fuel 01 3. Amethod of producing a relatively large percentage of fixed gas and arelatively small percentage of low boiling point byproducts from highboiling point hydrocarbons, consisting in subjecting high boiling pointhydrocarbons to a temperature suflicient to crack at least a portion ofthe same, separating the lighter vapors from the heavier condensate,condensing the light vapors to form a light distillate or low boilingpoint by-product, mixing the' heavier condensate with an aqueous fluid,and directly subjecting the mixture without substantial loss of heat atsubstantially atmospheric pressure and while permitting the sametoexpand, to a heat suflicient to de compose said mixture and convertthe 1na-,

jor portion only of the same into a fixed gas and a substantial minorportion into fuel oil.

4. In the art of treating high boiling point hydrocarbon oils, a methodwhich consists in maintaining a body of hydrocarbon liquid in a holder,vaporizing the high boiling point hydrocarbon oil and conducting thevapor into said hydrocarbon liquid in the holder at a point below thesurface of the liquid therein, permitting the hot vapors to rise freelyin the oil in said holder, thereby heating the last mentioned oil and atthe same time condensing high boiling point fractions of the vapor,conducting the light vapor from the surface of the oil in the holder andcondensing said vapor, withdrawing the condensed oilfrom the holder, anddirectly subjecting saidcondensed oil without substantial loss ofheatiand at at.- mospheric pressure, to heat sufficient to 0011- vertthe major portion only of the same into a products from high boilingpoint hydro carbons, consisting in subjecting high boil-- ing pointhydrocarbons to a temperature suificient to vaporize the same,subjecting the lighter vapors resulting from said vaporization tocondensation in order to produce a low boiling poifit product,condensing the heavier vapors resulting from said vaporization, anddirectly subjecting the condensate from the heavier vapors withoutsubstantial loss of heat at substantially atmospheric pressure to a heatsuflicient to decompose said condensate and convert the major portiononly of the same into a fixed gals and a substantial minor portion intofuel 01 6. A method of producing a relatively large percentage of fixedgas and a relatively small percentage of low boiling point by-p'roductsfrom high boiling point hydrocarbons, consistng in subjecting highboiling point hydrocarbons to a temperature suflicient to vaporize thesame, passing. said vapors continuously into a holder wherein a cushionof condensate is maintained, pass-- ing lighter vapors from said holderto a condenser and condensing the same to produce a low boiling pointby-product, permitting the'heavier vapors resulting from saidvaporization to condense in said holder, passing condensate from, saidholder to a converter, and directly subjecting said condensate withoutsubstantial loss of heat at substantially atmospheric pressure to a heatsufiicient to decompose sa d heavier condensate and convert the majorportion only of the same into a fixed gas and a sub-- stantial minorportion into fuel oil.

7. A method of producing a relatively large percentage of fixed gas'anda relatively small percentage of low boiling point byproducts from highboiling point hydrocarbons, consi'st'ng in subjecting high boiling pointhydrocarbons to a temperature sufiicient to vaporize the same, thensubjecting said vapors while in their course through heated zones tosuflicient heat to convert at least a portion of the same into a fixedgas, passing said gas and vapors into a holder and maintaining in sa'dholder a body ofhydrocarbon liquid formed by the conden-fl vert themajor portion only of the same into a fixed gas and a substantial minorportion into fuel oil.

8.'An apparatus for the purpose de.

verter operatively connected to said holder and having tubes providedwith enlarged outer end portions to permit expansion of the materialtreated in the same, and a condenser connected to the outlet of thesecond converter.

9. An apparatus for the purpose described comprising a first converterhav'ng inclined tubes through which the material treated may flow bygravity, a restricted outlet pipe connected-to the lower ends of saidtubes, a holderconnected to the outlet end of said pipe and arranged topermit condensate from the holder to flow by gravity from the holder tosaid tubes, a condenser, a pipe for conveying light vapors from theupper end of sa d holder to said condenser, an accumulator tank, a pipeconnecting the outlet of said condenser to said accumulator tank forconveying gas from the condenser to the tank, a second converter havingtubes produced with enlarged'portions to permit material passing throughthe same to expand,;a pipe connecting the lower portion of the holder tothe inlet ends of the second converter tubes, a second condenser, asecond'pipe connecting the outlet ends of the second converter tubes tothe second con denser, and a pipe connecting the outlet'end ofthe secondcondenser to sad tank.

lin testimony whereof We affix our signatures.

CHARLES R, BURKE. THOMAS F. HINTZE.

